CS New Works Reading Series November 12th, 2022

As a part of JCAL's Building Equity for BIIPOC Artists initiative,  I curated CS New Works Reading Series.  The play reading series will feature 3 new one-act works written by members of Conch Shell Productions’ Artist Collective - myself, Tanya Perez, and Gretchen Suárez-Peña. Our plays explore a number of themes that inspire social change (including self-empowerment, identity, sexism, trauma, and sexuality). 

This event is also made possible with the support of Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning Building Equity for BIIPOC Artist - an initiative sponsored by New York  Community Trust

ICEBREAKER is loosely based on personal pandemic stories shared by audience members who attended 2022 community screenings of Conch Shell Productions’ smartphone film AFTERSHOCKS: A TETRALOGY OF OUR TIMES. 

Cast members include: Brittney Akpobiyeri, Amy Finkbeiner, Joshua Josey, Sarah Marable, and Natasha Mehra.

Play summary:

When three financially strapped strangers come together to take part in a paid focus group, their coronavirus pandemic-influenced anxieties turn the session into a battle ground as they struggle with the challenges of redefining social interaction and identity. Can they overcome their pandemic traumas in order to “go back to normal” and form new human connections?

Flushing Town Hall awarded me with an Individual Artist grant to screen Aftershocks: A Tetralogy of Our Times and create a space for audiences to share their pandemic stories in a healing community forum. These community stories were loosely referenced in ICEBREAKER.

ABOUT FUNDERS

This program is supported by the New York State Council on the Arts, Statewide Community Regrants Program (formerly the Decentralization program) with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.

Thanks to a generous Individual Artist Grant that I received from Flushing Town Hall, Aftershocks: A Tetralogy of Our Times will be screening and uplifting & healing community story sharing in Queens starting June 10th 2022 at www.JCAL.org and ending with a staged reading of the collected community stories at JCAL in October 2022. Stay tuned for announcements.

I had the pleasure of making "theatre history" when I directed virtually readings of 3 never before produced together plays written by Marita Bonner (works published between 1927-1928).  Special thanks to New Perspective Theatre's artistic director, Melody Brooks for inviting me to direct.

Special thanks to Samuel Archer of Muzilog.com for inviting me to guest host this inspiring conversation with the film artists commemorating the work of Mr. Paul DeSilva.

I learned that Mr. DeSilva was an #artivist.  A #communitybuilder.
A man to be remembered and honored.

Paul DeSilva's film, "Crackdown: Big City Blues" is now streaming on www.Fandor.com